Rotary fuel burner with removable fuel-conducting means



Lav-labia SEARCHROOM June 21, 1949. c. w. GIBSON 2,473,945

ROTARY FUEL BURNER WITH REMOVABLE FUEL-CONDUCTING MEANS Filed July 5, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet l SfiARCH ROOM June 21', 1949. c, w, 5 Bso 2,473,945

RO'ILRY FUEL BURNER WITH REMOVABLE FUEL-CONDUCTING MEANS Filed July 5, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 a Cadiz/Wm mag;

June 21, 1949.

Filed July 5, 1946 SEARCH ROOM c. w. GIBSON 2,473,945 ROTARY FUEL BURNER WITH REMOVABLE FUEL-CONDUCTING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 l/A UIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Patented June 21, 1949 SEARCH ROOM ROTARY FUEL BURNER WITH REMOVABLE FUEL-CONDUCTING MEANS Carl W. Gibson, Worcester, Mass., assignor to Coppus Engineering Corporation, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application July 5, 1946, Serial No. 681,518

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to fluid burners, and more particularly to a rotary type burner adapted for association with a boiler or furnace and which may employ oil, gas, or a colloidal medium for fuel.

It is the primary purpose of this invention to provide a rotary type burner with means whereby the fuel-conducting unit may be removed from the burner without the necessity of dismantling the entire burner assembly.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a burner unit with a fuel-conducting tube arrangement which is most economical to manufacture and which at the same time makes for a highly efficient fuel burner.

A still further object of this invention is to provide such a burner with simple means whereby an atomizing agent, such as steam, may be readily used as a shield, thereby to prevent the escape of fuel from the unit.

With the above and other objects in view as will hereinafter appear, the invention comprises the devices, combinations, and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention, from which the several features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a rotary type oil burner in which one form of the invention is incorporated.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 represents a side elevation of a rotary type burner in which a second form of the present invention is incorporated.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 represents a front view, partly in section, of the rotary burner illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 represents a partial top plan view of the unit as disclosed in Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 7-1 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 88 of Fig.3.

Fig. 9 represents a labyrinth member as used in the burner disclosed in Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line Ill-l0 of Fig. 3.

Burners of the present type are primarily adapted to use liquid oil as a fuel medium, but natural gas, or other like fuel, may also be used.

Whenever a liquid fuel such as oil is used, it has been found most efiicient to atomize such a liquid very thoroughly before igniting the same. Steam has been found a most efficient and cheap medium for such atomization, and the present invention contemplates the use of such a medium, but it is to be understood that other gaseous mediums could also be employed.

A rotary type burner which is particularly adapted for burning liquid oil is illustrated in Fig. 1 of the present drawings. Referring par ticularly to Fig. 1, one form of the present invention is incorporated in a burner unit comprising, a substantially cylindrical casing l0 which is adapted to be connected with a furnace or boiler unit (neither of which is herein shown) as at Ill. A journal box II is rigidly secured within the central portion of casing III by means of spider legs I2 which project radially from said journal box to be secured by means of bolts iii to an annular flange portion M of the casing. This journal box II is cored as at points l5 to form a hollow jacket for receiving circulating cooling water which may gain entrance into said jacket by means of an aperture l6 provided in the top of said jacket. A water overflow aperture I! is provided also in the top of the casing. The journal box is hollow and is provided at its opposite end portions with openings which are adapted to receive ball bearing members it! and [9 in which is rotatably journaled, coaxially of said casing it, a tubular shaft 20. A tubular spacer member 2| functions in conjunction with elements 22 and 23, to retain the :bearings l8 and IS in their proper positions. The spacer}! has formed thereabout an annular groove 24 adapted for the receipt of an oil slinger 25 which projects downwardly into a hollow portion 25 of the jacket, which portion functions as an oil sump. Oil may be added to this sump through a conduit 21 which is connected to the casing as at 28.

Mounted upon the rear portion of the casing I l is a housing 29 secured to the jacket by means of a plurality of bolts 30, only one of which is disclosed herein. Removably mounted upon the rear portion of housing 20, by means of bolts 3| (only one of which is shown), is a fuel casing 32. This fuel casing 32 has rigidly projecting therefrom a fuel conduit 33 which is force-fitted therein and extends coaxially of said shaft 20 and is spaced therefrom throughout the entire length thereof. Disposed within and coaxially of the conduit 33 is a second conduit 34 which is threaded at its rear end into a boss 35 provided within the fuel casing 32. Conduit 34 is spaced from conduit 33 throughout its entire length of the conduit 33 thereby to form a fuel-delivering passageway. Threaded upon the forward or furnace end of the conduit 34 is a pre-atomizing nozzle 38 the head end of which is snugly fitted within the furnace end portion of the conduit 33. Thus, the conduit 34 is supported at its rear end by the boss 35 and at its forward or furnace end by the conduit 33. It is to be understood that the shaft 20 and the conduits 33 and 34 are all disposed concentrically of each other and coaxially with the casing l0.

Encircling that portion of the conduit 33 which is disposed within the housing 29 is a cylindrical labyrinth or steam trap 31 which is secured to the conduit 33 by means of a set screw 38. This labyrinth is spaced only slightly from the rotary shaft 20 and thus does not in any way support the conduit 33 within the shaft 29.

Mounted upon and welded to the shaft 20 as at 39 is a cylindrical ring 40 upon which in turn is mounted a cylindrical fan base 4|. The fan base 4| is secured to the ring by means of a plurality of bolts 42, only one of which is shown herein. Projecting outwardly from the fan base 4| are a plurality of fan blades 43. A unit hub assembly made up of members 44, 44' and 45 is in turn secured to the fan base 4| by means of a plurality of bolts 46, only one of which is shown herein. Radiating outwardly from the member 45 are a plurality of spokes or driving arms 41 which are threaded at their base portions into the member 45 and which are prevented from turning within said base portion by means of set screws 48.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 5, it may be seen that each of th spokes 41 is provided with a group of atomizing tips, each tip being designated by the numeral 49. Each of these tips is provided with an orifice 50 in communication with a hollow bore which is provided axially of each of the spokes 41. All of the bores 5| radiate outwardly from and are in communication with corresponding radially disposed bores 52 which are formed in the member 44. Provided centrally of the member 44 is a cylindrical aperture 53 which communicates with all of the bores 52 and which is substantially in register with the hollow portion of the shaft 20.

The casing 32 is adapted to be connected to a source of oil under pressure, which oil gains entrance into the hollow portion 54 of the casing by means of an aperture 55. The hollow portion 54 of the casing is in direct communication with the passageway defined by the conduits 33 and 34 and thus the oil may be delivered through this passageway and towards the nozzle 35. This oil is delivered about the rear end of the nozzle 36 and is shot under pressure into the conical portion 53 of the nozzle by way of a plurality of radial bores 51, 51 formed in the nozzle 35.

The casing 32 is also adapted to be connected to a source of steam under pressure. Such steam -gains entrance into the casing by means of an aperture 58 which communicates directly with the hollow portion of conduit 34 thereby to deliver the steam under pressure to the conical portion 56 of the nozzle 38. Therefore, it is to be understood, that when the steam and oil come into contact within the conical portion 55 there ensues a violent turbulence which is effective to atomize the oil as the same is impinged against the back wall of member 44. I

The atomized oil, still under pressure, forces its way out through the bores 52 and into the hollow portions of the spokes or driving arms 41 thereafter to enter the nozzles 49 from which oil spurts in a plurality of jets. These jets are adapted, by reaction, to cause rotation of the spokes 41 in a counterclockwise direction. Referring particularly to Fig. 2 it is to be understood that each nozzle 49 is disposed at an angle such that the reaction force from each jet will be effective to apply a substantial turning movement upon the spokes 41. Rotation of these arms 41 will, of course, rotate the members 44, 45 and 4| as a unit to the end that the fan blades 43 will rotate thereby to cause an air blast to flow through the casing 10 and past the arms 41. Such rotation of this fluid-discharging head and fan unit will carry therewith the shaft 20. However, the conduits 33 and 34 will remain stationary as the shaft revolves thereabout.

In order to prevent the oil from being diverted from its proper path and finding its way into the housing 29 there has been provided a radially disposed aperture 59 which places the interior of the conduit 34 in communication with the grooves 60 formed about the labyrinth member 31. This aperture or conduit 59 is formed in the walls of the conduits 33 and 34 and in a member 6| provided between these two conduits. Thus, the steam from the interior of the conduit 34 will find its way, under pressure, through the radial conduit 59 to the grooves 60 formed in the outer wall of the labyrinth member 31. While in these grooves 60 the steam will condense thereby effectively to seal off the space between the outer portion of conduit 33 and the shaft 20 to the end that no oil can find its way thereabout. The steam will also work its way forward towards the furnace end of the burner from the labyrinth 31 by way of the clearance space between the shaft 20 and the conduit 33 thus keeping this clearance space free of any fuel oil. Since the steam is always introduced into the burner at a pressure higher than that provided for the oil, this method of steam sealing has proven very effective.

From the above discussion, it is to be understood that the conduits 33 and 34, the nozzle 35, the labyrinth member 31, and the fuel casing 32 comprises a single unitary structure which remains stationary at all times. By removing the bolts 3|, this unitary structure may be removed from the burner in a direction away from the furnace thereby to expose the entire fuel conducting system so that it may be readily repaired or cleaned. It is to be noted that no other elements of the rotary burner need be removed or adjusted in order to accomplish this removal of the fuel conducting unit.

A second form of the present invention is disclosed in Fig. 3. Those elements in Fig. 3 which are similar to those of Fig. 1 are similarly numbered. The primary difference between the second form of the mention and that which is disclosed in Fig. 1 is that the labyrinth member 31 is positioned, in Fig. 3, about the forward or furnace end of the conduit 33. This labyrinth unit is secured upon the conduit 33 by means of a set rivet 63 which secures both the labyrinth and the conduit together as an integral unit. The second difference between the present modification and the invention as disclosed in Fig. l is that in the former unit the steam is introduced into the hollow portion 54 rather than into the conduit 34, also the oil in the modified unit is introduced into the conduit 34 rather than into the opening 54. 4

Therefore, when the steam enters aperture 55 SEARCH RUUM it will proceed along the passageway defined by the conduits 33 and 34 thereby to pass through longitudinal slots 36', 36' of the nozzle 36 and into the cylindrical Opening 53 of the fuel-distributing head (see Fig. A radially disposed aperture 64 provides a passageway between the labyrinth grooves 60 and the passageway defined by the conduits 33 and 34. The steam, therefore, will pass through the conduit 33 into the labyrinth grooves and will condense therein thus to form a seal which will prevent the oil from passing about the end of the conduit 33 and into the housing member.

The oil in the present device enters into the unit by way of aperture 58 and then proceeds under pressure along the hollow portion of the conduit 34 from which it will find its way into the nozzle 36 from which it will shoot out of the radial bores 51 disposed within the nozzle 36. Thus, the oil is shot at right angles into the steam passing about the nozzle 36 and will then be atomized by the steam as both fluids pass into the cylindrical aperture 53. The atomized oil will then, in a manner similar to that of the first form of the invention, pass out into the individual driving arms 41 and then through the nozzle orifices 50.

In the present unit the labyrinth member 31 is spaced slightly from the shaft and thus it does not function to support the conduit 33 within this shaft. However, in manufacturing such burner units it has sometimes been found that it is difiicult to align the conduits 33 and 34 exactly into the central portion of the member 44 and extends backwardly from this member to enter the central portion of the nozzle 36. The stationary nozzle 36 is provided axially thereof with a stationary bushing 66 which is secured to the nozzle by means of pins 61. It is to be understood that the alignment member 65 is held rigidly in the member 44 and therefore it is adapted to revolve within the stationary bushing 66 as the fluid-distributing head rotates. This member 65, being accurately located within the member 44, functions to locate the conduit members 33 and 34 centrally of the shaft 20 thereby to prevent any contact between the labyrinth member 31 and the shaft 20. It is to be understood, therefore, that the fuel-distributing unit, comprising the conduits 33 and 34, nozzle 36, and the fuel casing 32 may be removed from the burner unit and replaced thereon again with perfect assurance that proper alignment will be had betweeen the conduits and the shaft 20.

Referring to both Figs. 1 and 3, each of the burner units is provided at the forward portion thereof with a circular insulating plate 68 which is spaced from and secured to the revolving head by means of pins 69 and a screw 16. It is the purpose of these plates 88, 68 to prevent too much radiant heat from the furnace from entering the revolving heads and bringing the atomized fuel therein dangerously close to its coking point. The spacing between each of the plates 68, 68 and the heads provides a dead air area to further the efficiency of the plates 68, 68 as insulators.

Also provided with each of the described burner units is an air register unit 1| which is secured to the casing I II by means of bolts 12. This air register does not form a part of the present invention and will not be described in detail. It suflices to say, however, that it is the function of this air register to regulate the quantity of air which the fan blades 43 may draw into the casing and past the nozzles 49. It is to be understood that it is the function of the blades 43 to rotate in unison with the spokes 41 thereby to cause an air blast to be drawn into the casing and forced between the spokes 41 and towards the furnace unit. The atomized oil which shoots from the orifices 56 is thus thoroughly mixed with this air blast as it is shot into the blast from a direction substantially at right angles to the direction of air flow.

Referring to Fig. 1, the rear of the casing 32 is provided with a scavenging valve 62 which, when opened, permits the steam from opening 58 to enter the portion 54 of the casing 32 thereby to free the nozzle 38 and the oil-conducting passageways of oil preparatory to closing down the burner unit.

Referring to Fig. 3, the rear of the casing 32 is provided with a scavenging valve 62 which, when opened, permits the steam from opening 55 to enter the conduit 34 thereby to free this conduit and the nozzle 36 of oil preparatory to closing the burner unit down.

From the above description it is clear that the present invention provides a most efficient rotary type burner in which the fuel conducting means, along with the pre-atomizing nozzle 36, may be readily removed from the burner as a unit for the purpose of repairing or cleaning the same. With the present construction there is no need to disassemble any portion of the burner unit in order to remove the fuel-distributing m'eans therefrom. Thus it is possible to repair the unit in a relatively short time without the necessity of any special tools or fixtures and, therefore, the expense of repairs and upkeep of the present unit is held to a minimum figure. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the present invention provides with such a removable fuel-conducting means a most efllcient and novel oil seal which prevents the fuel oil from entering in or about the various working parts of the burner unit.

I claim:

1. In a burner construction of the class described, a casing forming a passage for combustiomsupporting air and being adapted to be connected to a furnace, a stationary support rigidly mounted within said casing, a tubular shaft rotatably mounted within said support and disposed coaxially of said casing, a fluid-distributing means carried upon the furnace end of said shaft, said fluid-distributing means being apertured for the reaction jet discharge of fluid under pressure to produce thereby the rotation of said shaft, and means carried by said shaft for forcing air axially through said casing toward-said furnace; the invention which consists in the provision of a unitary fluid-conducting means removably insertable within that end of said shaft remote from said furnace. said last mentioned means comprising, a normally stationary fiuid-sunplv manifold removably secured upon said support and over that end of said shaft remote from said furnace. said manifold being adapted to be connected to a supply of fluid under pressure. and a normally stationary fluid-conducting tube rigidly carried by said manifold and extending axiallv into and coextensively, of said shaft for conveying said fluid to the vicinity of said fluid-distributing means for introduction thereto, said manifold and said tube being removable as a unit from said casing in a direction away from said furnace.

2. In a burner of the class descfi'be d having a substantially cylindrical casing adapted to be attached to a furnace, means to force a stream of air axially of said casing towards said furnace, a tubular shaft rotatably mounted within and substantially coaxially of said casing, and a fluiddistributing means carried upon the furnace end of said shaft, said fluid-distributing means being apertured for the reaction jet discharge of fluid under pressure to provide thereby the rotation of said shaft; the invention which consists in the provision of a unitary fluid-conducting and fluidmixing means removably insertable within that end of said shaft remote from said furnace, said last mentioned means comprising, a normally stationary member removably connected with said casing at a point adjacent that end of said shaft remote from said furnace, a pair of substantially coextensive tubes rigidly carried by said stationary member and being normally located within said shaft, said tubes being radially spaced and coaxially disposed one within the other thereby to convey separate supplies of fluid under pressure to the vinicity of said fluid-distributing means for introduction thereto, and a nozzle carried by and associated with a pair of adjacent end portions of said tubes for mixing said separate supplies of fluid and discharging the same into said fluid-distributing means.

3. In a burner-of the class described, a casing forming a passage for combustion-supporting air and being adapted to be connected to a furnace, means to force air axially through said passage toward said furnace, a stationary support rigidly mounted within said casing, a tubular shaft rotatably mounted within said support and disposed coaxially of said casing, a fluid-distributing means carried upon the furnace end of said shaft, said fluid-distributing means being apertured for the reaction jet discharge of fluid under pressure to produce thereby the rotation of said shaft, a conduit-carrying member removably secured upon said stationary support and over that end of said shaft remote from said furnace, a stationary conduit means rigidly carried by said conduit-carrying member and extending axially into said shaft for conveying separate supplies of fluid under pressure to the vicinity of said fluid-distributing means for introduction thereto, said conduit means being radially spaced from said shaft throughout the entire length thereof, a fluid trap spaced between said conduit means and said shaft, and means for conducting a portion of one of said fluid supplies to said fluid trap, said conduit means and said conduit-carrying member being removable as a unit from said shaft in a direction away from said furnace.

4. In a burner construction of the class described, a casing forming a passage for combustion-supporting air and being adapted to be connected to a furnace, a stationary support rigidly mounted within said casing, a, tubular shaft rotatably mounted within said support and disposed coaxially of said casing, a fluid-distributing means carried upon the furnace end of said shaft, said fluid-distributing means being apertured for the reaction jet discharge of fluid under pressure to produce thereby the rotation of said shaft, means carried by said shaft for forcing air axially through said casing toward said furnace, a normally stationary fluid-supply manifold removably secured upon said stationary support and over that end of said shaft remote from said furnace, said manifold being adapted to be connected to separate supplies of fluid under pressure, a pair of tubes rigidly carried by said manifold and being normally located within and coextensively of said shaft thereby to convey said separate supplies of fluid under pressure to the vicinity of said fluid-distributing means for introduction thereto, said tubes being disposed one within the other with the outer tube spaced radially from said shaft throughout the entire length thereof, a fluid trap disposed between said outer tube and said shaft, and fluid-conducting means communicating with said trap and one of said tubes, said tubes and said manifold being removable as a unit from said shaft in a direction away from said furnace.

5. In a burner of the class described, a casing forming a passage for combustion-supporting air and being adapted to be connected to a furnace, means to force air axially through said passage toward said furnace, a stationary support rigidly mounted within said casing, a tubular shaft rotatably mounted within said support and disposed coaxially of said casing, a fluid-distributing means carried upon the furnace end of said shaft, said fluid-distributing means being apertured for the reaction jet discharge of fluid under pressure to produce thereby the rotation of said shaft, a conduit-carrying member removably secured upon said stationary support and over that end of said shaft remote from said furnace, a stationary conduit means rigidly carried by said conduit-carrying member and extending axially into said shaft for conveying separate supplies of fluid under pressure to the vicinity of said fluid-distributing means for introduction thereto, said conduit means being radially spaced from said shaft throughout the entire length thereof; a fluid trap rigidly mounted upon said conduit means and disposed between said conduit means and said shaft, and radially disposed fluid-conducting means connecting said fluid trap with said conduit means for conducting a portion of one of said fluid supplies to said fluid trap, said conduit means, said fluid trap, and said conduit-carrying member being removable as a unit from said shaft in a direction away from said furnace.

6. In a burner construction of the clas described, a casing forming a passage for combustion-supporting air and being adapted to be connected to a furnace, means to force air axially through said casing toward said furnace, a stationary support rigidly mounted within said casing, a tubular shaft rotatably mounted within said support and disposed coaxially of said casing, a fluid-distributing means carried upon the furnace end of said shaft, said fluid-distributing means being apertured for the reaction jet discharge of fluid under pressure to produce thereby the rotation of said shaft, a conduit-carrying member removably secured upon said stationary support and over that end of said shaft remote from said furnace, a conduit support rigidly carried by said fluid-distributing means and disposed axially of said shafts, and a stationary conduit rigidly secured at one end thereof to said conduitcarrying member and extending within said shaft to have its other end removably supported upon said conduit support for conveying a supply of fluid under pressure to the vicinity of said fluiddistributing means for introduction thereto, said conduit and said conduit carrying member being removable as a unit from said casing in a direction away from said furnace.

SEARCH ROOM '7. In a burner of the class described. a casing forming a passage for combustion-supporting air and being adapted to be connected to a furnace. means to force air axially through said passage toward said furnace, a stationarysupport rigidly mounted within said casing, a tubular shaft rotatably mounted within said support and disposed coaxially of said casing, a fluid-distributing means carried upon the furnace end of said shaft, said fluid-distributing means being apertured for the reaction jet discharge of fluid under pressure to produce thereby the rotation of said shaft, a conduit-carrying member removably secured upon said stationary support and over that end of said shaft remote from said furnace, a stationary conduit means rigidly carried by said conduit-carrying member and extending axially into said shaft for conveying separate supplies of fluid under pressure to the vicinity of said fluid-distributing means for introduction thereto, said conduit means being radially spaced from said shaft 10 throughout the entire length thereof, a fluid trap spaced between said conduit means and said shaft, said fluid trap comprising a cylindrical sleeve having a plurality of annular grooves provided in the periphery thereof, and means for conducting a portion of one of said fluid supplies to the annular grooves of said fluid trap, said conduit means, said conduit-carrying member and said fluid trap being removable as a unit from said shaft in a direction away from said furnace.

CARL W. GIBSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,274,818 Zink Mar. 3, 1942 20 2,276,961 Graham et a1 Mar. 17, 1942 2,351,421 Gibson June 13, 1944 

